Chapter 30 Old Stories: Poor little thing, let your older sister give you a hug. ...
Despite the approaching hottest period of summer, a cool breeze wafted through the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Su Panyue sat on the chaise longue, eating fresh fruits sent by the Imperial Kitchen. Not far in front of her were three ice chests that had just been sent by the Imperial Household Department.
She then placed a plate of watermelon next to the ice chest and asked Xie Lanzhou, "Has Your Majesty ever eaten chilled watermelon?"
Xie Lanzhou, who was reviewing memorials, shook his head, not putting down the memorials in his hand, but his gaze had already drifted to the woman sitting next to the ice chest, fiddling with a watermelon.
“If you eat this watermelon directly after cutting it open, you can only taste 30% of its flavor. If you let it cool for an hour before eating it, you can taste 60% of its flavor. If you want to bring out the full flavor, does Your Majesty know how to do it?” Su Panyue asked playfully.
Xie Lanzhou shook his head; he had never put much thought into food.
Seeing that he didn't know, Su Panyue's smugness was practically overflowing. "The best way to make a watermelon taste the best is to soak it in a mountain spring for half a day. The taste is absolutely amazing!"
Seeing her vivid description, Xie Lanzhou smiled and nodded, saying in agreement, "Thank you for your guidance."
Su Panyue chuckled and muttered to herself, "I don't usually tell this to just anyone."
Having been recognized as extraordinary, Xie Lanzhou lowered his eyes and curved his lips into a smile, slowing down his movements as he flipped through the memorials.
Just then, Eunuch Fu came to report: "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has arrived again."
Xie Lanzhou was in a good mood and simply said in a low voice, "Just say I'm busy and ask her to go back."
A moment later, Eunuch Fu returned, looking troubled: "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is kneeling outside the palace, saying that she will not return until you see her today."
Su Panyue, who was sitting to the side eating melon, secretly glanced at Xie Lanzhou and knew that he was also in a difficult situation.
If the Empress Dowager were to kneel outside the palace for an extended period, countless officials and ministers would submit memorials criticizing her, and if word got out to the common people, she would be branded as disloyal and unfilial.
Xie Lanzhou heard her inwardly sweating for him, and he curled his lips in a self-deprecating smile. From the day he murdered his father and ascended the throne, he no longer cared about his reputation.
After a moment's thought, he finally spoke up: "Let her in."
Su Panyue, with great tact, stood up and said, "Your Majesty, then this concubine will take her leave."
Xie Lanzhou pinched the bridge of his nose and waved his hand, saying, "No need, you eat yours."
[I'm practically a thorn in the Empress Dowager's side, and you still leave me here! Am I here to stir up trouble for you?]
After venting her frustration internally, Su Panyue sat down in a corner and ate a bite of watermelon. It was actually quite hot back home.
Not long after, the Empress Dowager walked in hurriedly.
She glanced around the hall and, sure enough, glared angrily at Su Panyue, who was sitting in the corner. She said, "Your Majesty, I have something to discuss with you. Please have all irrelevant people leave."
Xie Lanzhou kept his gaze fixed on the memorial, not even raising his head, and said in a calm tone, "If the Empress Dowager has something to say, please speak; if not, please return."
The Empress Dowager took a deep breath, ignoring Su Panyue, and said to Xie Lanzhou, "Your Majesty, you cannot send Rui'er to the Dali Temple."
Seeing that Xie Lanzhou remained silent, the Empress Dowager spoke with deep concern: "He is still your brother. What kind of place is the Dali Temple? How could he endure such torture?"
Xie Lanzhou remained unmoved: "If he didn't do it, he will naturally be fine; if he did do something wrong, he will naturally be punished."
The Empress Dowager's chest heaved with anger: "Siyuan, I raised you for ten years, why do you treat me and Rui'er like this?"
Xie Lanzhou looked up and said in a deep voice, "Don't call me by my courtesy name. I've already given you enough respect by making you Empress Dowager. Isn't that the position you've always wanted?"
Sitting in the corner, Su Panyue pricked up her ears. So Xie Lanzhou's courtesy name was Siyuan. How nice!
The Empress Dowager's face flushed red and then paled, her tone growing increasingly harsh: "You have already killed your father, and if you are to harm even your own brothers, you will be despised by all the people and sent to the eighteenth level of hell!"
Xie Lanzhou's face was gloomy as he said in a low voice, "When the Empress Dowager helped the late Emperor set fire to Zhongcui Palace, did she ever think that she would go to hell herself?"
His voice was icy cold, like a ghost's. The Empress Dowager swayed slightly, but forced herself to say, "The fire back then was just an accident. Has Your Majesty misunderstood something?"
Xie Lanzhou stood up and stared intently at her. "Then tell me."
Why did I encounter you on the palace path at the east gate of Zhongcui Palace?
Why did your former head maid perish in the fire at Zhongcui Palace?
His eyes were unfathomable, his tone sharp as ice, and his authority and anger as a superior were palpable.
The Empress Dowager seemed unable to hold back any longer, and covered her face, weeping, "It was all the late Emperor's doing! All of this was the late Emperor's doing!"
Xie Lanzhou sat back down and said in a deep voice, "Then tell me, why did the late emperor want to harm my mother like this?"
The Empress Dowager took a deep breath and said, "Your mother is the eldest daughter of the old Duke's family. In addition, the old Duke's three sons are all generals with outstanding military achievements, veterans of three dynasties, and sons of military families. They are highly respected and influential in the court."
"After your mother gave birth to you, many rumors circulated in the court, saying openly and secretly that the old Duke wanted to depose the emperor and support you, who was still an infant, to ascend the throne."
"The late emperor was already suspicious, and the unfavorable border wars coupled with years of disasters made him a controversial figure. After hearing these rumors, he became even more restless, fearing that his throne was in jeopardy."
"So on the Lantern Festival, he devised a plan to keep your mother in Zhongcui Palace and set the fire there. Unexpectedly, you escaped the disaster."
"When I met you on the palace road, I couldn't bear it, so I brought you back to the palace. Otherwise, you would have died in that fire like your mother. But now you repay kindness with enmity!"
The Empress Dowager became increasingly agitated as she spoke, completely oblivious to Xie Lanzhou's growing increasingly gloomy expression.
He interrupted coldly: "It was the late emperor who set the fire, but wasn't it you who sealed off all the gates of Zhongcui Palace?"
"Let me guess, did you take me away because you were afraid I would see those palace maids you sent? Or was it because you had no children at the time and wanted me to be used by you, to become a tool for you to become empress?"
When he spoke of himself, his tone became calm, as if he were talking about someone else. Only the clenched fist under his sleeve revealed his turbulent emotions.
His words shattered the Empress Dowager's psychological defenses. She collapsed to the ground as if all her strength had been drained, revealing her advanced age.
The hall was silent for a long while before the Empress Dowager spoke again, her voice filled with pleading: "Siyuan, it was the late Emperor and I who wronged you. It has nothing to do with Rui'er. I beg you, please let him go."
"If you spare Rui'er, I am willing to atone with my death."
Xie Lanzhou sneered: "I don't need you to die. As long as you tell the truth about what happened back then, I can spare his life."
The Empress Dowager's sharp nails pierced deep into her palms. For her, who had spent her entire life pursuing status and position, ruining her reputation was far more terrifying than killing her outright.
After a long silence, she slowly lowered her head, her voice filled with weariness: "Alright, I promise you, and I hope you won't break your word."
Xie Lanzhou replied, "Of course not."
After saying that, he raised his voice and said, "Fulin, escort the Empress Dowager back and make good preparations for the day of the Earth Sacrifice."
Grandpa Fu came in from outside and gestured for him to enter.
The Empress Dowager followed Eunuch Fu out, and when she reached the palace gate, she turned around and gave him a deep look.
The door was closed, and the hall returned to silence.
Su Panyue, who had witnessed the whole thing from the corner, blinked. Their conversation had roughly pieced together the truth of what happened back then.
She was deeply shocked: [Is this something I can hear? Am I going to be silenced?]
Xie Lanzhou rested his forehead on one hand, half of his face hidden in the darkness.
Su Panyue secretly glanced at him, only to see the man's profile with his eyes lowered, still expressionless, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
Su Panyue could hardly imagine what the little prince, who would sneak out to play on the Lantern Festival, had gone through to grow into such a cold-hearted person.
How terrifying must a fire that could burn an entire palace to ashes be? Was he very scared when he was only ten years old?
Thinking this, Su Panyue felt a pang of tenderness in her heart and got up to walk to his side.
Xie Lanzhou turned his head to look at her and said, "You also think I'm ruthless, don't you?" His tone was somewhat self-deprecating.
Su Panyue shook her head and said seriously, "Good deeds will be rewarded and evil deeds will be punished. His Majesty is the Son of Heaven and is merely acting on behalf of Heaven."
"You certainly know how to talk," Xie Lanzhou said dismissively, having heard such compliments far too often.
Seeing his self-destructive state, Su Panyue sighed inwardly:
Poor little thing, let your big sister give you a hug.
Hearing her address him in her mind like that, Xie Lanzhou's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. It was the first time someone had ever said he was pitiful; it was truly laughable.
Then Su Panyue actually reached out and hugged him from the side.
Xie Lanzhou's body stiffened slightly, but after sensing the woman's faint fragrance, he ultimately did not refuse.
Poor thing, she's still feeling sorry for herself.
Su Panyue raised her hand and stroked his back gently, feeling the man gradually relax. The two of them, one sitting and one standing, quietly embraced each other.
*
After having dinner in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, it was already dark. She had been there all day and now all she wanted to do was go back and rest.
But Eunuch Fu stopped her, saying somewhat apologetically, "Lady Su, your Jingchun Palace is not yet fully repaired."
Su Panyue said nonchalantly, "It's alright, I can go back to my old maid's room to sleep."
Xie Lanzhou suddenly spoke up: "Just sleep here."
"Huh?" Su Panyue looked up in surprise and refused softly, "I... I'm not ready yet."
Xie Lanzhou's eyes darkened as he asked, "What are you preparing?"
Speechless at his question, Su Panyue pouted and said nothing more.
[You scoundrel! You reward me during the day, and now you want interest at night?]
Xie Lanzhou frowned, wondering what she was thinking about him. Did she really think he was some insatiable lustful devil? If that were the case, he wouldn't still have an empty harem.
Filled with resentment, Xie Lanzhou left the Hall of Mental Cultivation with the words, "I have other matters to attend to, you may do as you see fit," and turned away.
Upon entering the Imperial Study, a stack of memorials on the desk requested that he hold a talent selection to expand his harem.
On the other side was a scroll, which he unfolded and found to be a list of Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) from three years ago, sent by the Hanlin Academy.
Turning to her sickly "husband" Lü Jiade's policy essay, Xie Lanzhou skimmed through it. The writing was obscure, with forced quotations, and the whole thing was devoid of substance.
His agitation intensified, but he forcibly suppressed it. He sat quietly in the Imperial Study for a long time, holding his Buddhist prayer beads, before finally getting up and returning to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
The old eunuch Fu, who was guarding outside the door, wanted to pay his respects, but he stopped him and stepped into the inner room himself.
The candlelight had mostly died down, making the room somewhat dim, but Xie Lanzhou immediately spotted the woman lying spread-eagled in the center of the canopy bed.
Her hair was scattered messily at her sides, one hand was out of the brocade quilt, and the other hand inside the quilt seemed to be holding something.
Xie Lanzhou gently lifted the brocade quilt, revealing a luminous pearl emitting a faint light. He couldn't help but chuckle; he had been feeling suffocated in the Imperial Study until midnight, only to find her sleeping here with the luminous pearl in her arms.
He grasped Su Panyue's slender wrist, the smooth touch making him reluctant to let go. He moved her a little closer, and the woman turned over, letting out an unconscious moan.
Xie Lanzhou lay down beside her, exhaled a deep breath, and realized that she might be right; he was indeed that lustful ghost, but he hadn't realized it before.
He wrapped his arms around the sleeping woman from behind, buried his head in the crook of her neck, and gently sniffed her.
He had just closed his eyes to fall asleep when he was suddenly punched in the chest, a light but firm blow that woke him up.
He opened his eyes, thinking she had woken up, but found that the girl had turned over again and was sleeping face down, facing him.
Xie Lanzhou closed his eyes, realizing for the first time in his life that someone could be so...busy while sleeping.
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Author's Note: Moon: What a pitiful little thing.
The large boat nestled in her arms.
The court officials, who were tormented and intimidated by him every day: ? ? You mean this tyrant is a pitiful little thing?
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